Newsletter October 2017
Cover Photo: Judith Callaghan with her Austin 7 joining the daffodil run on the 27th August. She has had the car since 1985. It arrived as a collection of parts and took 5 years to rebuild. Closing Date for Wairarapa Zenith: 15th of each month. Contributions should be emailed to the Editor—editorwaivcc@gmail.com or posted to: PO Box 7, Masterton, 5840.
Wairarapa Branch of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Clubrooms Postal Address Branch Website Club Night Spare Parts Committee Meet
A&P Showgrounds, Chester Road, Clareville PO Box 7, Masterton, 5840 www.sporty.co.nz/wairarapavcc
First Monday of the month (except January— none) and June (second Monday) at 7.30pm. Open each Tuesday morning following club night. Second Tuesday of each month at 7.30 pm
Call and see
Trevor Kenavan for all your joinery requirements
150 Main Street, Greytown Phone: 06 379-8008 Fax: 06 304-9004 2
Your Committee 2017/18 Chairman:
Willie James
372 4890 waiiti@farmside.co.nz
Immediate Past Chairperson/ Treasurer: John Clark 378 0380 john@clark.net.nz Vice Chairman: Andrew Dittmer 379 6967 biffoditty@gmail.com Treasurer Robert Notley 0272121091 rnotlet@yahoo.co.nz Secretary: Tina Goodin 02041099552 tina.goodin@hotmail.com Club Captain: David Hunter 379 9224 bonnydoone.4@gmail.com Committee: Paul Furkert 379 5355 paul.furkert@xtra.co.nz Gary Lang 372 7593 barbaralang@outlook.co.nz Brian Billing 021 242 6240 billing.au@gmail.com Hugh Hunter 306 9847 j.h.hunter@xtra.co.nz Custodian: Earl Goodin
02041099552 tina.goodin@hotmail.com 379 7918 betyjo29@gmail.com
Librarian: Pat Dutton Beaded Wheels Reporter: Kevin Ball 377 1236 Social Convenor: Val Ball 377 1236 Spare Parts: Frank Lipinski 379 7167 Tom Mitchelmore 379 7573 Magazine Editor: Jim Philps 370 9118 Vehicle Inspectors: Francis Pointon 378 6710 Graham Reidy 372 7855 3
wtakevin@xtra.co.nz wtakevin@xtra.co.nz
tomjean@xtra.co.nz editorwaivcc@gmail.com pointonmotors@xtra.co.nz g-a.reidy@xtra.co.nz
What’s on locally……..
OCTOBER Mon 2nd Sun 8th NOVEMBER Sun 5th Mon 6th
Club night to be a rally rules training night Door Hugh and David Hunter. Speaker Francis Elwin New members Rally. Organiser Brian Billing. See page 7 for details Stretched Gymkhana. Organizers Andrew Dittmer and Paul Furkert. Club night . Door Frank Lipinski. Speaker Greg Lang
Tue 14th—17th Peter Chisholm Memorial Rally . Organizers Neville and Beth Taylor. 25-26th Gold Medal Rally. Organisers, Peter and Maureen Bull Entry form and details on pages 15-18 25th Carterton Rotary Club Xmas parade. Vehicles welcome. To register interest email to coralnz@xtra.co.nz DECEMBER Sunday 3rd
Janice Groves Rally. Leaving from the club rooms at 10am and finishing at the Morrinsville fair for lunch.
Monday 4th
Club night. Door Willie James
Saturday 9th
37th Annual lake Ferry excursion. See page 9
Chairmans Chatter Welcome to spring fellow club members, not that it feels like it. As I type this up there is a hail storm coming down outside the office window. I hope our farming members are not losing to many lambs and calves in this miserable weather. Sharyn and I have been laid up with this flu virus for the last 17 days so I can sympathise with all of you that have had it and wish all a speedy recovery. Whilst laid up I have looked at the second hand bike market on ‘trade me.’ The older 1940 - 60s machines seem to be fairy steady in value with not much movement although a lift of 3 - 5 thousand dollars over the last 6 or 7 years is not to sniffed at. I think the big move will be in the mid 1970s to early 80s models with electric start that are becoming eligible for cheap registration. This together with the number of baby boomers realising they can have just as much fun riding old bikes, could result in a lot more Japanese bikes appearing at our VCC rallies. I encourage any members who know of people with these bikes to join the VCC. Targa NZ car rally is coming through the Wairarapa on the 28th October. One of the stages called the Dryers Rock stage leaves from Hastwell and runs down the Whangaehu valley rd. The road closes at 8.40am -- 1.10 pm. I'm on the war path!!! In 2015 our then Chairman Francis Elwin was asking members for photos and a brief history of your vehicles so that they could be included in the Fifty years Club history book that Maureen Bull is producing. To date she has NO pictures or script from the years 2012 onwards that can be included in the book. I urgently request new members and older ones to get in touch with her with your photos, down loaded on to a stick if possible, or if not, good old 6+4" photos as the cut off date for printing is fast approaching. Please get on with it!!! We all enjoyed Andrew Dittmers {ditti} speech on his life as an aircraft technician for the RNZAir force at our club night. I'm sure if he wanted to keep himself busy there would plenty of work at Hood aerodrome looking after Peter Jacksons planes. A reminder for the October club night which is a training session on running rallies. See you there. I must mention that Robert Notley has offered his services as our new Treasurer after John Clarks interim standing in for the job .Thanks John. Cheers to you all and have we dram to keep the spring chills at bay. Willie James 5
From your club Captain I wrote the following piece as my Club Captains Report for the August edition of the Zenith but a technical hitch (could have been my fault, )(more likely mine David . Jim) had my previous month’s contribution being printed again. The disturbing thing is that I don’t think anyone noticed! So, here is the one that should have gone in but keep in mind that we’ve now also had Andrew Dittmer’s talk. Here is a little memory that has stayed with me since the first Branch AGM I attended a few years ago. Kevin Ball was on his feet encouraging us to contribute articles for the club magazine when he suddenly swept a hand over us all and said “there’s a room full of stories here”. He was absolutely correct of course and at our August club night, as I listened and laughed at Doug Curtis’ highly entertaining talk I kept thinking of Kevin’s words. Doug, on the face of it, has not led a particularly exciting or interesting life. Growing up on the East Coast, working in the motor trade and then tutoring at a polytech isn’t exactly James Bond stuff for example, but the reality is he has seen and participated in all sorts of interesting and funny stuff as an ‘ordinary bloke’. Better still, he can remember it and being a good raconteur is able to relate his many memories to an appreciative audience. The thing is, within our membership there are many more like Doug, with stories to tell, just like Kevin said, and we (if Doug’s audience is any measure) would like to hear or read them. Several years ago, for example, Gary Lang wrote several articles for our magazine telling of his experiences competing in New Zealand’s premier production car races in the early 1970s. Being a keen follower of motor racing in my younger years I found them very interesting. So, what I am saying is if you have life stories to tell or write like Doug and Gary, why not share them with us? Submit them to Jim our Editor or have a chat to a committee member about talking at a club night, if you are confident with that. For our September club night Andy Dittmer talked about his life in the Air Force and other memories too. Andy has just accepted the position of Club Vice President and we have learnt more about our next President -in- waiting as a bonus. So there it is. We’re waiting for the raconteurs and writers to tell us their memories. The 39 members who listened to Doug have had their appetites whetted and want more. David Hunter
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Wairarapa VCC New MembersTour Rally 2017— Sunday 8th October For those starting from Masterton: Start: Meet at the Masterton Town hall car park, in Perry Street. When: 9.30 am for a briefing before getting underway at 10.00am This is a tour type rally, so you can enjoy a bit of country motoring. It is a round trip of approximately 83 miles. Our rally takes us via the outskirts of Mauriceville, with a stop at the Middleton Model Railway and Cwmglyn farm house cheeses. Then we head west skirting the Mangatainoka river. There is a lunch stop at Eketahuna with the local hotel being open and also the adjacent cafe’ for those wishing to purchase lunch. After our break it’s then homeward heading East back through the Kopuaranga area to The Farriers car park to display and promote theclub, and an afternoon refreshment for those wishing to stop.
For those starting from Pahiatua: Start: Meet Outside the “Post Office Hotel” 164 Main Street, (southern end), Pahiatua. When: 10am for a briefing before getting underway at 10.30 am (enough time for a cuppa) This is a tour type rally, so you can enjoy a bit of country motoring. The tour carries us up and around the West side of the valley then south under the foot hills, where we will meet up with the North bound cars, for a detour into Eketahuna for lunch. Then a return trip out to the East. The distance for this group is approx. 62 miles. Please note also that although this is mainly a tour type of rally to get you NEWBIES’ into the swing of things, there will be some sections that include ‘ straight –line’ navigation.
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Bangers and Beer 20 August 2017 Another cold and drab Sunday afternoon did not deter our core group of attendees. Paul kicked things off by producing a bicycle and small petrol, motor to convert it to self propulsion. The motor, purpose built in the early post-WW2 years for such a purpose, was an unknown quantity. Paul’s logic was to bring it along to our meeting to see if it would start and run, and, if not, draw on the collective technical knowledge to discover why not. Well, after a little tinkering it started up and with it roped to the bike Paul was able to ride some laps of the car park. It will now be fitted to a 1930’s bike Paul owns so he may become a common sight puttering along on the district’s roads. Perhaps a local identity even. Attention then turned to the Bradford. First it was pushed out into the yard, not an onerous task being jus a rolling chassis weighing probably less than Pauls motorised bicycle. Ian attacked the many years of accumulated grime (we don’t actually know Bedford’s age but they were assembled in N Z from 1948 until 1953) with the water blaster and then left the cleaned result to dry. Frank and Tom had arrived to open the parts store which meant we were able to look for a suitable engine. Eventually a complete Ford 10 with gearbox was taken out to the workshop where it was joined by 2 more partially stripped Ford 10 engines. So the Bradford seems destined to be Ford powered, depending on if a good working engine can be made out of what we have. Work on that begins at the next Bangers and Beers. Despite the cool outside temperature, the chassis had dried and the chassis black was applied. Alec had procured a quantity of the stuff from his workplace Astrolite Motor Bodies and with the approval of his boss too. No doubt it helped that his boss happens to be a club member (thank you, Herb Fox). Only a small group this time but that doesn’t diminish the camaraderie and enjoyment. Special thanks to Kevin who came along with Val as usual to record the happenings with his camera. Kevin is taking a particular interest in recording progress with the Bradford (or Bradford-Ford) which is very appreciated. In attendance were; 8
Cont…., Simon O’Hara,Alec O’Hara, Ian Ingram, Hugh Hunter,DavidHunter Paul Furkert,Tom Mitchelmore,Kevin Ball ,Val Ball. With the warmer weather approaching we anticipate finishing the meetings with sitting down, having a drink and letting the conversation flow. This is when the stories get told and everyone starts laughing. We welcome all members to these gatherings so come along and join in. David Hunter John and Kerry Rapley in their 1956 A30 van
Below Evelyn Smith receives her 25 year medal
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Club night Raffle A generous gift from Doug Curtis Club stalwart Doug Curtis, an accomplished cartoonist, did four framed works for the recent Peter Smith Memorial Austin rally. Only three were presented, so Doug gave the fourth for a raffle to boost branch funds. This will be drawn at the club night onDecember 4. Tickets in this raffle are $3 for one or $5 for two. This is a unique Christmas gift for some lucky person.
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The daffodil run By Kevin Ball Classic and vintage cars from around the lower North Island helped to make Sunday’s first ever Cancer Society charity run a huge success. The run, organised by the Wairarapa branch of the Vintage Car Club, raised $800 for the society, and is likely to become a regular event. Nationally, $20,000 was raised for the Cancer Society. Organiser Andrew Dittmer, of Carterton, was delighted by the success of the event, a run from Martinborough to Masterton, over mostly back roads and featuring some vintage car club activities such as spotting clues and answering motoring questions. Wellington was strongly represented, including a contingent of Minis, and other entries came from Dannevirke to the north. The cars themselves were the star attraction, and ranged from Roger Gardner’s turn-of-the-century Model T to a late-model Ferrari and a host of other convertibles and tourers, all with their hoods down in brilliantly fine weather. Fords abounded, including a couple of ‘40s Coupes, Mustangs and other examples. Andrew said around 80 cars took part as the tour made its way from Martinborough to Greytown, Carterton and Masterton, but an accurate figure was impossible with cars joining and dropping out along the way. All but two committee members took part (and one of them checked in sick) and a total of 40 club members were involved as marshals or entrants. Andrew extended thanks to volunteer marshals and to Cancer Society members who collected the $5 a car entry fee. “A lot of people paid more,” he said. Some lessons were learned, including the need for better communication with the Cancer Society and participants and the need for more organised parking in Carterton. The Vintage Car Club benefited also, with several people asking for membership applications. Only 2 motorcycles joined the rally, including Brian Billing on his stunning Harley Davidson. Hopefully we’ll see many more on 2 wheels next year. Ed Note. We also received a thank you note from Jucinda Buchanan complementing the club on the $800 raised. 11
Peter Smith Memorial Rally Report By Kevin Ball Twenty-one cars, a mixture of Austins, Flying As and Honorary Austins, turned out for the annual Peter Smith Memorial Trophy rally on September 10. And despite a threatening weather forecast they enjoyed brilliant sunshine all day, a big relief for those in open cars. The run took us from Clareville to Tinui, via Lees Pakaraka Road, Te Parae Road, Blairlogie and Langdale Road. Lunch was at the new cafĂŠ at Tinui which struggled to cope with our numbers. A light lunch was provided at $12 a head, after which the cars headed back to Clareville. The only casualty was Howard and Marion Sims, whose Fiat Bambina ran out of spark at Tinui. John and Kerry Rapley (1956 Austin) took overall honours and Bernie and Joan Svendsen the Flying As. Tony and Myrna Lane (1973 Mer-
John Rapley receives the Peter Smith Memorial Trophy from the rally organiser Howard Sims 12
They’re a practical bunch!! Two engineering students were biking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?" The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday, minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said, "Take what you want." The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice: The clothes probably wouldn't have fit you anyway."
Paying subs The head office has requested me to remind you that when paying your subs, you must give your name and membership number as a reference. They have received payments which have omitted these details and so they have no idea from whom they came. If you think you have done this, get in touch with them.
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Wairarapa Branch History: Our First 50 Years 19682018 Our September 2017 issue of Zenith Newsletter carried an introduction to the club history which is sitting waiting for the photos and some background information on the latest restorations and/or “finds” which have emerged recently. I know I’ve not been available so much recently due to two cataract operations which now mean that Ihave much-improved vision, and some surgery on my nose, so forgive me if I’ve missed your visit/phone call regarding information to add to our Branch History. I’m now back to deck and keen to add more to the book as we sprint to the 6thJune 2018 deadline for publication. Photos can be “as found,” during and/or after restoration, with or without you and yours in the photo – whatever you’re happy with – I just don’t want you to miss out on this opportunity. Black and white or colour prints are both very acceptable, and if you don’t have photos, please let me know and I can arrange for someone to call and produce something you’re happy with. Also, I should have mentioned in my last update that Hogg Crescent runs off Worksop Road, Masterton, so if you know where Countdown Supermarket is, you’re a five minute walk away from where I live. I’m currently working through the existing text and searching for photos to illustrate the vehicles mentioned, and believe me, it’s a big task. I often see members at rallies taking photos of various vehicles and I’d really appreciate it if you could make time to sort through what you have and this way we can fill some of the gaps – I look forward to hearing from you. Maureen Bull
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37th Annual Lake Ferry Excursion
Dear Classic Car Club member/enthusiast/media outlet The 37th Annual Lake Ferry Excursion is coming up, which is organised by the Sunbeam Car Club of NZ (Wellington) each year. The event is open to anyone – club member or not, English cars, American cars and we absolutely welcome classic Japanese cars along on the day. Saabs, Volvos, Fiats, Lancia, Porsche, Ferrari, Mustang, Datsun, home-built… whatever your car is, if you are an enthusiast we welcome your attendance. Please – spread the news of this event far and wide to other club members, friends and family. We welcome people from all areas, not just Wellington. We always get a get response from the Wairarapa, which is fantastic. To make sure everyone has this date down early to save conflicts with other events, the Lake Ferry Excursion is always the 2nd Saturday in December. This year makes it the 9th of December. As always, we meet at the Fell Museum in Featherston at 11am for an 11.30 departure to Lake Ferry, where we meet to talk over a BYO picnic lunch. Please make sure you make your way to the big oak tree outside the museum at 11.15 for a quick driver’s briefing. The hotel at Lake Ferry have confirmed they will be open and should have food available (there are no functions booked at this stage), or you can bring your own picnic lunch. If you are not the right person in your car club to receive this email, can you please forward it on to the correct person. Also, please feel free to send this on to anyone in other car clubs you think might be interested. We welcome all car clubs and car enthusiasts. Kind regards Bryan Atkins, convener (Sunbeam Car Club of New Zealand) Phone/fax (04) 562 7424 or e-mail atkinsbm@gmail.com
* Please note if you do not wish to receive any more such emails, please advise via return email.
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Myrna and Tony Lane receiving the “ honorary� Austin award after completing the rally in their Mercedes.
Right.
Mary Buick and her Austin on their way to Tinui for lunch. Below. Will and Ruby Holmes Austin 20 showing Sue Dittmers Austin 7 what it will look like when it grows up !!
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What did you guess?
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The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand now has a new facebook page. The page will have interesting stories, posts on events and photos of vintage car activities from around the country. To start with, we would like you to do the following: For those who already have a facebook account: Go to the VCC facebook page and LIKE it. Posts will then appear in YOUR facebook stream and you can share them with your friends For those who don’t have a facebook page or don’t want to set up an account: Click on the link below and then save it in bookmarks in your internet browser. You will then have easy access to the page whenever you want to see the latest posts. Please note that this facebook page will include notification of upcoming events and stories but it’s not a buy, sell and exchange page. There are other avenues for that information. We would also like you to email pictures and include a couple of words about the photo from club events around the country for posting on the page. This will provide content of interest for enthusiasts around the world. Send pictures and stories to: comms@vcc.org.nz To access the club facebook page go to: https://www.facebook.com/ vintagecarclubofnewzealand/ or type Vintage Car Club of New Zealand into facebook search. This page is your portal for fun stuff that is happening for vintage car enthusiasts around the country. The more stories you supply, the more relevant the page will be.
Club Library Members are most welcome to borrow books/articles from the Club Library. Please record your name and the book’s title(s) in the Lending Book so that they can be tracked is necessary. If you have any old books/manuals and wish to get rid of them, Pat Dutton, our Librarian, would be love to take them off your hands. Pat can be contacted on (06) 379 7918.
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From your Editor……….. Please note the new email address and telephone number for contacting your new editor. Jim Philps: Phone (06) 370 9118 or Email editorwaivcc@gmail.com. Looking forward to receiving all your stories and advertisements.
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Surely not !!
Apologies to the Scots amongst you !! Donald MacDonald from the Scottish Highlands, went to study Law at a renowned and austere English university and was living in the hall of residence with all the other students there. After he had been there a month, his old mother came to visit him. "And how do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked. "Mother," he replied, "they're such terrible, noisy people... The one on that side keeps banging his head on the wall and won't stop... The one on the other side screams and screams all night." "Oh Donald! How do you manage to put up with these awful noisy English neighbours?" she asked her son. Donald replied enthusiastically: "Mother, I do nothing. I simply ignore them. I just stay here quietly, playing my bagpipes."
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New donations to library All these books donated by Neville Taylor Porshe by Jacky Ickx Mercedes by Alan Jones Ferrari by Niki Lauda Rolls Royce by George Fenn Veteran and vintage cars by Pedr Davis A variety of books and magazines donated by Michael Rose
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Property LAW SERVICE A DIVISION OF REEVES LAWYERS LIMITED
Buying & selling Property Powers of Attorney Commercial Matters Relationship Property
• Refinancing • Family Trusts • Subdivisions • Estates/Wills
0800 PPTY LAW (0800 778 952) www.propertylaw.co.nz 26
VEHICLE INFORMATION VEHICLE ID Members who wish to apply for Vehicle Identification Certification (VIC), are asked to contact one of our Branch Vehicle ID Officers. Their names and contact details are provided in each Zenith magazine (generally on page 3). If you wish to participate in any National VCC event, you need to have a Vehicle Identification Certificate. Please don’t leave it to the last minute as it takes some time for the processing of paperwork. VIC Applications: Must be accompanied by the appropriate form which can be downloaded from the VCC NZ website or contact your club secretary. The form should be sent to your local branch secretary for processing. SELLING YOUR VEHICLE? If your vehicle has VIC Certification and you sell your vintage vehicle, please notify NZVCC, P O Box 2546 Christchurch. Ph: 03 366 4461 Fax: (03) 366 0273 or E-mail: admin@vcc.org.nz. INSURING YOUR VEHICLE/ POSSESSIONS? When you insure through VERO, you are helping our Club financially. Just let them know that you are a member of the Wairarapa VCC and quote this number: 043302 COOK STRAIT FERRY BOOKINGS Both the InterIslander and BlueBridge Ferries offer a variety of discounted fares to VCC Members. Contact the companies directly using the Vintage Car Club group booking codes. The staff are generally very helpful. INTERISLANDER: Ph: 0800 878 898 Quote Group Booking Reference Number WH5465 BLUEBRIDGE FERRY: 0800 844 844 Quote Discount Code: ANTIQUECAR 27
FOR SALE 1929 Hudson body including bonnet, back mudguards and front axle. In good order – no rust. Excellent restoration project. Offers. Contact David Hunter Phone: 379 9224 or Email: bonnydoone.4@gmail.com. (3)
Parts Department Remember the Parts Department is open every Tuesday morning following our monthly Club Night or contact Frank, Tom or Hugh for a private viewing - (06) 379 7167 (Frank), (06) 379 7573 (Tom) or (06) 306 9847 (Hugh). This months specials !! Dodge 4 gearbox Morris commercial steering box 1938 Nash steering box Austin 12 steering box 4x650/16 cross ply tyres Chev 4 engine 1923/25 (?) Some bearings donated by L Ponstra Carbs donated by Willie James Brake cleaning fluid donated by Brian Billing An assortment of light bulbs
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Advertising in the Zenith You are welcome to advertise your goods for sale, swap or buy. The advertisement does not have to relate to cars/parts, anything goes. These advertisements are free to VCC Members. Contact Jim Philps, phone: 06 370 9118 or editorwaivcc@gmail.com. Please note advertisements will only be published for three consecutive months unless I am notified otherwise.
Don’t forget our business advertisers Their advertisements help to pay for the production of this publication. When you need a product or service consider using one of the companies advertising in the Zenith. They help us—why not reciprocate by giving them your custom.
WHAT’S ON AROUND THE COUNTRY COMING EVENTS 2017 OCTOBER 14 King Country Journey Through Time. 15 Manawatu Swap Meet. 20-22 Hawkes Bay Safari. 28 Waikato Veteran Rally For more information regarding these events please contact the branch involved or contact your club Secretary. NOVEMBER 12
Bay of plenty car club annual show and swap meet. Held at 29 Cliff Road Tauranga FEBRUARY 2018 16-18 Hawkes Bay VCC 30th anniversary Art Deco weekend.
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Sender: The Vintage Car Club of New Zealand Wairarapa Branch (Incorporated) P.O. Box 7 MASTERTON 5840
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